Starke Council Discusses Tax Levy Limitations, Options

Starke County Council members want to meet later this year with state officials to discuss options for thawing the county’s frozen property tax levy. That’s the cap on the amount of money the county can raise each year to cover expenses. Discussion at Monday night’s meeting indicates it’s not keeping pace with inflation.

Auditor Kay Chaffins says sets a growth rate and assumes each county matches or exceeds it. She says Starke County consistently falls short of the state’s annual benchmark. Councilman Dave Pearman characterized the growth as “flat or negative” and suggested the county prepare for the worst.

“If we’re going to try to make things fly as is, I think the caution that we’re going to throw to the wind is every department start seeing what you can live without. Because this has happened twice in the history of Starke County, and what they did was laid a bunch of people off,” Pearman said. That occurred in the 1970s and 1980s.

Pearman also encourages everyone at the county level with connections down state to talk to lawmakers and other government officials about the tax levy issue. He says the only properties that are going up in value are those at Bass and Koontz Lakes. Everything else is well under 100 percent.

Council members note residential properties make up the bulk of the property tax base, as abatements have been issued for most commercial properties. County Attorney Marty Lucas says in theory bringing industry into a community will improve residential housing stock and solidify the tax base.

Any action to thaw the levy, which would allow for an increase in taxes and assessed values, would require state approval.

The council approved the county’s $10 million budget. It will now be submitted to the state for final consideration.

10-19-16

WKVI

Starke Budget

Mary Perren

Starke County Council members want to meet later this year with state officials to discuss options for thawing the county’s frozen property tax levy. That’s the cap on the amount of money the county can raise each year to cover expenses. Discussion at Monday night’s meeting indicates it’s not keeping pace with inflation.

{10-19-16 – Starke Budget 1} Q…negative. How’s that?

[(Chaffins) Every time they have a growth rate—2.8, 3.8, whatever the state has, that they assume each county has that growth rate or greater. (Pearman) Right. That’s why it suggests you should be OK if you go 2.8 percent you should be OK, but when you’re negative every year…(Chaffins) We’re not negative every year, but when we’re at half a percent. (Lucas) Pretty flat. (Pearman) Flat or negative. How’s that?]

Councilman Dave Pearman says it’s time to prepare for the worst.

{10-19-16 – Starke Budget 2} Q…people off. :12

[If we’re going to try to make things fly as is, I think the caution that we’re going to throw to the wind is every department start seeing what you can live without. Because this has happened twice in the history of Starke County, and what they did was laid a bunch of people off.]

Pearman also encourages everyone at the county level with connections down state to talk to lawmakers and other government officials about the tax levy issue.

{10-19-16 – Starke Budget 3} Q…at 100 percent. :21

[Comparably the only thing that’s actually pacing are the two lakes. Like those properties would be at 128 percent and above. The rest of Starke, especially Washington Township, Railroad Township, the more I guess remote and developing townships, if you will, are in the 70s. Oregon and Davis Townships are in the 80s. None of them are at 100 percent.]

Council members note residential properties make up the bulk of the property tax base, as abatements have been issued for most commercial properties. County Attorney Marty Lucas says in theory bringing industry into a community will improve residential housing stock and solidify the tax base.

Any action to thaw the levy, which would allow for an increase in taxes and assessed values, would require state approval.

The council approved the county’s $10 million budget. It will now be submitted to the state for final consideration.

###

10-19-16

WKVI

Starke Budget

Mary Perren

Starke County Council members want to meet later this year with state officials to discuss options for thawing the county’s frozen property tax levy. That’s the cap on the amount of money the county can raise each year to cover expenses. Discussion at Monday night’s meeting indicates it’s not keeping pace with inflation.

{10-19-16 – Starke Budget 1} Q…negative. How’s that?

[(Chaffins) Every time they have a growth rate—2.8, 3.8, whatever the state has, that they assume each county has that growth rate or greater. (Pearman) Right. That’s why it suggests you should be OK if you go 2.8 percent you should be OK, but when you’re negative every year…(Chaffins) We’re not negative every year, but when we’re at half a percent. (Lucas) Pretty flat. (Pearman) Flat or negative. How’s that?]

Councilman Dave Pearman says it’s time to prepare for the worst.

{10-19-16 – Starke Budget 2} Q…people off. :12

[If we’re going to try to make things fly as is, I think the caution that we’re going to throw to the wind is every department start seeing what you can live without. Because this has happened twice in the history of Starke County, and what they did was laid a bunch of people off.]

Pearman also encourages everyone at the county level with connections down state to talk to lawmakers and other government officials about the tax levy issue.

{10-19-16 – Starke Budget 3} Q…at 100 percent. :21

[Comparably the only thing that’s actually pacing are the two lakes. Like those properties would be at 128 percent and above. The rest of Starke, especially Washington Township, Railroad Township, the more I guess remote and developing townships, if you will, are in the 70s. Oregon and Davis Townships are in the 80s. None of them are at 100 percent.]

Council members note residential properties make up the bulk of the property tax base, as abatements have been issued for most commercial properties. County Attorney Marty Lucas says in theory bringing industry into a community will improve residential housing stock and solidify the tax base.

Any action to thaw the levy, which would allow for an increase in taxes and assessed values, would require state approval.

The council approved the county’s $10 million budget. It will now be submitted to the state for final consideration.

WKVI News Director Mary Perren is glad to be back home in northern Indiana and on the radio. She’s a North Judson native with more than 20 years of news experience. She’s worked in print and radio news in Indianapolis, Hopkinsville, Ky., Nashville, Tenn. and most recently in Winamac before taking over as news director for Kankakee Valley Broadcasting in February of 2013. Her work has been honored by the Associated Press, StateNets News Association, Curb Foundation, Hoosier State Press Association and IBA. When she’s not sitting in the anchor chair or chasing down news, Mary enjoys shopping for antiques, attending concerts and taking long walks and rides in her vintage Saab convertible, weather permitting. She’s also a hopelessly devoted Chicago Cubs fanatic who still cringes at the mention of Steve Garvey and Josh Beckett and maintains it wasn’t Steve Bartman’s fault.